Clocks Tick, but Lives Flow
by StressBakingElf
Summary: Snow flurries whirled under the gaslit street lamps of London, golden light illuminating the remnants of a heavy blizzard that was finally winding down. Wintertide Miracles Saint-Germain/Cardia Beckford fluff romance m/f oneshot soft Christmas Yuletide character development humor lighthearted snow and winter fun.


Snow flurries whirled under the gaslit street lamps of London, golden light illuminating the remnants of a heavy blizzard that was finally winding down. Carriages were long retired from the iced over cobbled streets. The only sounds approaching the hushed city were the distant shouts of children delighting in the snow and the crunch of fresh powder and ice under the boots of passersby.

Saint Germain always knew what time it was even without a watch. 8:07 pm he counted, Christmas Eve. Over the centuries, he'd thought of himself as a mere observer of humankind, mortality and life forfeited for immortality and a death he had only recently woken up from. To stroll in the snow as nothing more than a man with spare time on his hands among everyone else was a rare treat. He supposed that his companion felt similarly.

"Be careful not to slip, Miss Cardia."

"I am!" Cardia gave him a carefree smile, letting the tread of her her boots slide under her feet and propel her a couple extra inches every step. For someone who'd witnessed so many horrors in her short lifetime, Cardia was as kind and caring as ever. Saint Germain watched her with a satisfied smile, habitually counting the minutes they'd had together. After thousands of years, he'd been on a date for twenty six minutes.

Snowflakes stuck to her hair and she laughed as a gust blew into her face, closing her eyes. It only took a second for her step to falter. "WOAH!"

She flailed her arms and Saint Germain caught her gloved hand, bracing himself and catching her with his unbroken gentlemanly composure- or so he thought. "Miss Cardia-!" His own boots hit slick ice where constant traffic had eroded the snow and he shrieked. They both lurched forward and hit the ground with a rough impact, spilling out into the street over the curb.

Ah, 8:09 pm, and he was harshly reminded of his own mortality. Saint Germain took a moment to groan as he rubbed his bruised hip, grimacing. He scrambled to get up and help Cardia, and in his hurry slipped again and met Cardia's eyes as she watched him flounder.

"Sorry- hahaha!" Cardia took a slower approach, getting on her knees and using a lamppost to stand up with. Her white winter coat and hat disguised her fall well- while Saint Germain was obviously covered with ice. She held her hand out and he pouted. "Well? I got you!"

"It's supposed to be the other way around." Saint Germain let Cardia pull him up, immediately trying to brush off his dark green coat with his free hand. "But I do thank you, Miss Cardia." He brought her gloves hand to his lips and gave it a chaste kiss, eyes watching her face.

The tiniest things were so new to both of them. As he thought, Cardia's already snow kissed face seemed to turn rosier. Cardia averted her eyes shyly but smiled at the snow. "May I ask you a question, Saint Germain?"

"Of course." He held her hand as they walked, convinced that he could break her fall more efficiently next time.

They were getting to the still active districts of the main city. Brightly lit bustling shops were closing within the hour but still had lavish decorations in the storefronts. Cardia gazed at them all with delight, eyes tracing glittering ornaments, gourmet chocolates, perfectly tied ribbons, and wreaths of evergreen and pine branches. Cardia squeezed his hand with excitement. "Saint Germain, why do you still call me 'Miss Cardia'?"

"Huh." Old habits die hard. "I suppose it feels right, even if we're on more familiar terms... Cardia." He tried addressing her without an honorific and it left an odd taste in his mouth.

Cardia giggled. "It's alright, um, Germain?"

Saint Germain raised his eyebrows with a soft chuckle. "Feels wrong, doesn't it?"

"I suppose so." Cardia stopped in front of another gift shop, this one full of porcelain dolls in delicate dresses. For a moment, her reflection in the window blended in too well with them, face blank until she smiled again. "I remember feeling like I wasn't a person. You do too, I guess. You always addressed me as Miss, always were so polite and gentle with your words. I know it sounds like you were distant, but it felt like I was enough of a person for you to want to always respect like that. It's cute."

"Oh? Then I should keep doing it."

Cardia nudged Saint Germain as they walked again, occasionally weaving through other groups of people. "I don't think anyone could stop you when you want something- Sainty-G."

"Miss Cardia, please." Saint Germain couldn't stop himself from smirking. "You tease too much, I can't help how impulsive I can be. Oh, perfect!" He caught sight of a bouquet of mistletoe under a doorway and quickly spun Cardia around to settle in under it. "It's tradition to kiss under these."

Cardia looked up at the sprigs of mistletoe bound with a bright bow above them. "I think you're making that up."

"I assure you, it's tradition."

Cardia rolled her eyes and their lips met at 8:27 pm, chaste and gentle. She pulled back first and Saint Germain immediately followed for one more kiss, both giggling and giddy at the soft warmth they shared for a few moments.

The trek back from their little escape was pleasant. Their breath fogged in the moonlight a they meandered through snowy meadow and forest to the mansion. From a distance the mansion finally felt like home to Saint Germain, complete with the shattered window from the Ornithopter crash in the dining room. "Our circle of friends is quite peculiar."

"I think they're perfect."

"Oh I agree- real estate damage and all, warm imperfection is greater than any lifeless mechanical perfection."

Cardia kept close to Saint Germain, arms linked as they hiked the last part of their walk through mostly undisturbed snow. Silence between them was comfortable, companionable. While Saint Germain was still getting used to letting his composure and guard down, the process was pleasant. Cardia really was too good and patient for him.

Saint Germain rummaged around his inner pockets as they approached the door but it swung open before they'd set foot on the last stair step. Lupin narrowed his eyes playfully, dramatically silhouetted in the doorway. "Guilty!"

"Yes, yes, as charged." Saint Germain let Cardia run inside ahead of him, shedding her boots and coat and scooping Sisi into her arms. "It's only 9:14- I didn't keep her out too long."

Lupin opened his mouth and Finis appeared behind him to talk to Cardia. "HEY! Make cocoa with us! I can barely tolerate these people without your presence!"

Saint Germain and Cardia exchanged a glance, both stifling laughter as Finis huffed and tried to convincingly storm off towards the kitchen. Guinevere and Omnibus were watching Impey and Victor with amusement in the parlor as they dramatically retold their own separate adventures. Van Helsing and Delacroix had their own corner, still half on business as they mulled over paperwork and politics but still spared fond glances at the rest of the party. Hansel seemed content to steadily munch through a platter of sugar cookies, but Saint Germain suspected he might migrate towards the kitchen at some point.

He watched his bizarre inner circle interact and be merry all night, still observing but for once feeling like both a host and member of their lives. He waited for the party to simmer down until the activity in the mansion was lulled by 11:04. Impey (as an apology for crashing into the house) helped clean cocoa cups and dishes alongside Saint Germain, humming in the kitchen. "Hey, Sainty-G?"

"Yes? Your nickname for me has started to spread, by the way."

"Ha, I bet Cardia says it, huh?" Impey winked but then became serious, frowning as he wiped down a counter. "Listen, you'll treat her like a princess, right?"

"Of course."

"And you'll make her happy?" Impey sighed and let his shoulders sag. "I'm happy for you two- I just need to know for sure that she's loved and cherished."

Saint Germain nodded. "Yes. I'll adore her and protect her for the rest of my life." Impey didn't seem quite convinced. "Lupin almost strangled me when I didn't do right by her- I'm very aware that you'll all keep me accountable."

"Good. I mean- not good, that's not very nice- but I'm glad that you know we're there for her too." Impey flashed Saint Germain a fanged smile. "You need a best man for the wedding?"

"Hush! Say that any louder and Finis will kick us both in the shins."

Saint Germain silently made his way up to Cardia's room, smiling when he noticed a band of light under the door. She seemed to have insomnia as much as he did. He gently tapped the door with his knuckles. "Miss Cardia?"

The door swung open and Cardia beckoned him in. "Hi- coming to say goodnight?" There was a cozy light on her bedside table and one of Saint Germain's alchemy books open on her bedspread. The sight of it warmed his chest.

"Ah, I wrote that almost two hundred years ago. The syntax is a little dry by now- but I shouldn't get carried away, I actually wanted to show you something."

"Alright." Cardia dimmed the light and followed him. "If you wanted to write a revised edition, I could probably help. We have time."

Yes, they did have time.

Saint Germain led her to his personal library and study. He ignored the main part of the room but headed for a far corner by a window, ushering her to a cushioned window seat. "Isn't the garden beautiful?"

The windowpane was cold to the touch as Cardia and Saint Germain peered outside together. Inside was warm, while outside the moon was still high above thinning white clouds. Snow and ice clung to the graceful outlines of the shrubs, flower beds, and the vines around the courtyard. The greenhouse in the distance protected its inhabitants but icicles lined the roof and sides. It was perfectly serene, as though the entire world was asleep.

"It is beautiful." Cardia turned to Saint Germain, their faces intimately close. "Why don't we go out in it?"

"Oh? But we've warmed up." He wasn't opposed to it, but knew Cardia must be tired.

"Let's go and feel it. Just for a few minutes. The cold, the night, the stars. We've both spent too much time just observing, haven't we?"

"Miss Cardia, you're absolutely right."

They quietly went outside, finding a secluded bench with a view of the winding paths and frozen gardens. Even with coats it was chilly. Saint Germain put his arm around Cardia and she laid against his shoulder, their breaths the only movement against the dark starry sky. There was magic between Yuletide and the last leftover days of the year, as things were reborn and their corner of the world made life and celebration out of the dead of winter.

Saint Germain closed his eyes and only felt Cardia beside him, head on hers as they silently existed together. He had no idea what time it was, and didn't care to.


End file.
